Cover Natalie Chung, Laurel Chor and Carmen Chan on empowering girls, women and the earth simultaneously (Photo: courtesy of interviewees)
Natalie Chung, Laurel Chor and Carmen Chan on empowering girls, women and the earth simultaneously (Photo: courtesy of interviewees)
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For Earth Day, Tatler interviewed three Hongkongers on how their expeditions not only fostered personal empowerment but also inspired a deeper responsibility towards the environment and gender issues
You might have heard it before, but two of the most pressing challenges of our time—namely, gender inequality and climate change—are deeply linked.
Climate change disproportionately impacts women, particularly in developing countries, for several reasons. Notably, gender inequality limits women’s access to essential resources like education, land and technology, hindering their ability to adapt to climate impacts and to mitigate the negative effects of this change.
The United Nations’ Gender Snapshot 2024 report reveals that women and girls spend a staggering 250 million hours per day on water collection—over three times more than men and boys—a number that will only increase as water becomes scarcer in certain regions. The report also highlights that every additional day of high-temperature exposure is associated with a 2.5 per cent reduction in the total value of crops produced on women’s plots compared to men’s. Given that women are far more subjected to gender-related expectations than men, they often end up working in agriculture or taking care of the household in certain cultures, placing them at the frontline of those affected negatively by climate change.
The UN report projects that by 2050, up to 158 million more women and girls could be pushed to poverty due to climate change, exceeding the number of affected men by 16 million. In fact, this situation is already impacting lives, with nearly 47.8 million more women experiencing food insecurity and hunger compared to men today for the same reasons.
In this context, many are finding ways to empower women and the earth hand in hand. In Hong Kong, an urban jungle whose territory is composed of 75 per cent of natural landscapes and country parks, women themselves have taken the lead. Be it Natalie Chung, who has founded sustainable tourism-focused social enterprise V’air; or Carmen Chan, whose social business Girls Be Change empowers women to go on sustainable expeditions; or Laurel Chor, whose Hong Kong Explorers Initiative, encourages the city’s youth to protect nature, these women have led the way towards fostering self-empowerment and sustainable practices.
We celebrate Earth Day by highlighting these inspiring leaders and their expeditions.
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Exploration ignited journalist Laurel Chor’s confidence to become a trailblazer
Emmy-nominated journalist, photographer, filmmaker and National Geographic explorer Laurel Chor has traversed three dozen countries across all seven continents, fuelled by her passion for the intricate relationship between people, society and nature. Her journey started with her volunteering expedition with WWF in the Central African Republic (CAR).
“[Volunteering in CAR under challenging conditions such as limited water and electricity] was a formative experience, because it made me realise I’m so much tougher and more capable than I thought I was as a girl growing up in an urban, protected environment like Hong Kong,” she says. “Those are great lessons for everyone, but especially for women, because society and the patriarchy often teach women that we should be dependent,” Chor says.
After coming back from CAR, Chor swiftly launched the now-retired Hong Kong Explorers initiative with a grant from National Geographic.
“Coming back to Hong Kong after the CAR, I started to ask myself ‘how much of Hong Kong have I not explored?’,” she reflects. “I crossed the world to find nature, but actually Hong Kong has so much to offer.” Despite its abundant natural beauty and resources, she notes that the city has fostered a culture that remains disconnected from nature—a disconnect that contributes to the environmental problems we face today. “How can we measure our impact on nature if we’re not paying attention to it?” she asks.
With this initiative, Chor put nature, exploration and education first, but gender also played a role. “It’s impossible to look at any environmental problem without looking at it through the lens of power, oppression and politics,” she says. “Therefore, you cannot talk about the environment without talking about gender.”
While Chor no longer focuses on the Hong Kong Explorers initiative, she continues to thrive as a multimedia journalist where she puts human, nature and transnational issues at the centre of her photos, articles and documentaries. “Growing up in Hong Kong, I didn’t know any journalists, scientists or explorers”, she concludes. “But if you can see it, you can be it. So I hope that my career, and doing my thing, inspires girls and women in Hong Kong to follow their own path.”
Natalie Chung’s expeditions have deepened her commitment to nature and gender equality
Emerging as a prominent voice in climate education, Natalie Chung has carved a unique path for herself. “My climate journey began when I was 11. I was captivated by an interview with a female Polar explorer, Dr Rebecca Lee, who described the fragile beauty of the Poles,” she recalls, noting that this initial spark ignited a lifelong commitment to protecting our planet. While studying geography at university, she co-founded V’air Sustainability Education, transforming her passion into action through nature-based learning experiences. What started with student-led eco-tours in Hong Kong’s country parks has evolved into a social enterprise that has reached over two million people.
Chung’s adventures have taken her from the icy waters of Antarctica in 2023—where she represented Hong Kong on the Dr Sylvia Earle Antarctic Climate Expedition—to the coastal villages of Fiji in 2024. Collaborating with UNDP Pacific and RTHK for the TV documentary series Climate Insight, she has documented the impacts of climate change and adaptation strategies. “Every expedition has deepened my reverence for nature and my commitment to climate justice,” she states, reflecting on her humbling experiences with communities facing the harsh realities of climate change.
For Chung, addressing gender inequality is essential in the fight for environmental sustainability. “Gender and climate justice are inseparable,” she says, highlighting how women and girls in the Global South are disproportionately affected by climate disasters yet often excluded from decision-making processes. Through V’air, she is dedicated to empowering young girls by creating programmes that blend climate science, storytelling and leadership training. “When girls are empowered to understand climate systems and advocate for policy, they become catalysts for systemic transformations,” she says.
Looking ahead, Chung envisions V’air as a platform nurturing the next generation of Asian female climate leaders. “When girls see women who look like them leading climate action, it redefines what they believe is possible,” she says. Inspired by pioneering figures such as Dr Rebecca Lee and Dr Jane Goodall, she aspires to establish that women belong at the forefront of exploration and leadership.
Carmen Chan wants to make empowerment through nature adventures accessible to girls
Carmen Chan is not just an entrepreneur; she is a dynamic force driving social change through her innovative blend of design, communication and empowerment. Her journey began unexpectedly four years ago when she volunteered to teach entrepreneurship at an anti-trafficking NGO in Hong Kong for women survivors of sexual exploitation. “Encountering these resilient women and knowing their stories prompted a lot of self-reflection,” she says, “I started to ask myself: what is my role in these big social problems? What are the ways to live and work purposefully?”
To find the answer, Chan decided to leave Hong Kong and embark on a transformative two-year global journey. She dedicated most of this time to volunteering, like in northern Thailand or Vietnam, and meeting like-minded female changemakers. One such formative experience for Chan was spending time at Thailand’s eco-lodge Chai Lai Orchid, which not only shelters rescued elephants but also supports education and employment for marginalised women. This initiative opened her eyes to possibility of creating an enterprise that lies at the intersection of business and social impact.
This led Chan to found Girls Be Change, a social enterprise aimed at inspiring young women to become explorers and changemakers. “This year, we are launching the Impact Expedition for Women Explorers, focusing on wildlife conservation and women’s empowerment,” she says.
Chan highlights the deep connection between gender equality and environmental sustainability. “The climate crisis does not affect everyone equally—girls and women face disproportionate impacts from climate change,” she explains, noting how challenges like unstable access to clean water exacerbate existing gender inequalities. She sees women as crucial to the solution. “Equal gender representation can lead to more holistic solutions in climate action.”
Through Girls Be Change, Chan envisions a community where girls and women feel empowered to address the social causes they care about. “We may work for different causes, but we’re all striving for the greater good,” she says. Her mission is clear: to catalyse and connect women ready to make a difference in the world.
Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
